6 Best Fixes for Google TV Not Playing 4K Videos

Google TV is a new and improved version of the Android TV interface. It feels close to Stock Android and works like a good streaming solution. You can also watch your favorite content in 4K Ultra HD resolution with formats like HDR and Dolby Vision. The Play Movies library has also been updated with 4K titles.

But it would not be great if you can’t enjoy 4K content from the comfort of your Google TV. And, some users indeed complain of having the same issue. We bring you this post with some working solutions to fix Google TV not playing 4K content with your setup.

1. Check Display Settings

Starting with the basics, you need first to check the display settings of your Google TV setup. Your Google TV automatically picks up the best resolution based on your TV. But you can also manually switch to a specific resolution and frame rate. Here’s how to check that on your Google TV.

Step 1: On the Google TV home screen, go to Settings at the top-right corner.

Step 2: Select the gear icon again to open the Settings menu.

Step 3: Scroll down and select Display and Sound.

Step 4: Select Advanced Display Settings.

Step 5: Check the current resolution and frame rate of your TV and make changes as per your preferences.

We suggest switching to 4K Ultra HD resolution and 24 FPS frame rate for watching movies. In case your Chromecast with Google TV is not showing the 4K option, you will have to wait for a software update to fix this. There are a couple of TVs on which Chromecast doesn’t support 4K@60Hz.

2. Check HDMI Cable

If your Google TV is not streaming in 4K, check whether you are using an HDMI 2.0 cable for your setup. To stream content in 4K resolution, you need to have an HDMI 2.0 cable that offers a higher bandwidth of 18Gbps and a peak resolution of 3840×2160p @ 60fps (4K@60fps). You also have the option of using HDMI 2.1 cable, provided your TV supports it. Read how HDMI 2.1 is different from HDMI 2.0.

3. Check Streaming Title Resolution

Google Play Movies and other streaming platforms let you buy or rent 4K movies. And every other streaming platform has movies and shows available in 4K HDR or Dolby Vision. However, if your Google TV is not playing 4K videos, you should check the resolution of the streaming title. There are still a lot of titles that stream in just 1080p resolution.

4. Check Your Streaming App Subscription Status

If you face this issue with any specific app, check your subscription status. Your previous payment might not have been processed. If that is the case, you won’t be able to stream content at its highest resolution. So go ahead and check your streaming subscription status.

5. Update Streaming App

After you are sure of your streaming subscription, you can update the version of your streaming app. This will remove any bugs that might cause 4K content playback issues. Here’s how to update an app on Google TV.

Step 1: Long-press the app icon on your Google TV.

Step 2: Select View Details and check if an update is available.

Download and install the app update to see if the problem is solved.

6. Update Google TV OS

The last resort is to update the version of Google TV OS as it may be a system-level issue. Here’s how.

Step 1: Go to the Settings at the top-right corner of the Google TV home screen.

Step 2: Select Settings icon again to open the Settings menu.

Step 3: Scroll down and select System.

Step 4: Select About.

Step 5: Go to System Update and install it if one is available.

Once done, check if the problem of 4K playback is solved.

Enjoy 4K Content With Google TV

These solutions will help if your Google TV device is not playing 4K content. Another suggestion is to ensure a strong internet connection over Wi-Fi. You need a minimum of 15Mbps speed to watch 4K content on your Google TV. If you face any problems connecting over Wi-Fi, refer to our list of solutions for Google TV.